First Step to a New Beginning
by Glitch32
Summary: They had met at Zuko's coronation... but they would have never guessed they'd end up as soulmates. Stretches, aerobics, and all sorts of physical therapy over the past year or two had all been leading up to this point, and for Ty Lee, it was her moment to let Teo know that perseverance can overcome any difficulty.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you ready?" a soft voice inquired.

"Absolutely," was the determined reply. A young man looked down at his legs, which were laying out straightforward on the bed. There were loosened wrappings underneath them that had been recently taken off. After a long pause, he finally attempted to move. His left leg twitched, bringing a smirk. His right leg twitched; more joy. He managed to move one slightly towards the edge of the bed.

"You're doing it!" the girl exclaimed.

His leg continued sliding to the edge of the bed, and finally dropped off the side with a thud.

"Did you feel that?" She asked, wincing as she hoped he didn't.

"A little bit!" he answered. Bittersweet. His other leg followed soon enough, and he was now sitting on the edge of the bed with both legs dangling to the floor. He extended his hands to the young woman.

"Teo, are you sure you're ready for that? You've made a lot of progress already," She smiled.

"I can do this," he answered, "I haven't failed yet, I'm gonna keep going."

She grabbed his hands, concern on her face, though nonetheless supportive. He shifted his weight onto her arms and clumsily pulled himself up into a standing position. Quickly, however, and almost in a panic, he slid his arms up to her shoulders and grabbed on for support. She reached beneath his arms and around his torso to keep him from falling.

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"Ty Lee, I'm fine, I just need to stabilize myself " he trailed off, concentrating. After adjusting his legs little by little, he tried to take a step, looking down at his feet. "Here goes "

The boy slowly dragged his left foot forward. It slid across the ground and wouldn't normally be considered an actual step, but for him... it was something he had never accomplished before. Ty Lee took a simultaneous step as he moved, and a smile lept onto her face. She quickly looked up at Teo, ecstatic.

"You did it!" She squealed, leaping into a full-on hug, including a delightful kiss with it. The force of her leaping into the hug and the lack of support he was now receiving forced the couple to fall back onto the fluffy bed where they simply laid and laughed together as they stared at the ceiling.

It was a new beginning for Teo. 


	2. Chapter 2

"I really don't think this is necessary, Ty Lee."

"I know," the nimble acrobat replied, playfully drawing out her words. "But if we stop now, you'll go back to being completely unable to walk!" Ty Lee continued her light jabs into the calves of the young man as he laid face-down on the fluffy bed.

"Look," he said as he rolled and sat up, "I think we can at least take a break for today. Let me see if-"

"Teo, lay back down!" She pushed him with a laugh, plopping her hands on her hips when he fell onto his back. Teo changed his demeanor.

"Please, Ty Lee? I wanna just get out and take a walk today." He played his begging card. She could hardly resist his adorable eyes, so sweet and jovial, so she sighed and laughed at the same time.

"I guess so. Don't push yourself, okay? You haven't made it on the longer walks you've tried, so be careful." She giggled and skipped away, leaving a smiling boy to sit up on the bed and attempt to hoist himself up. It had been five months since he was first able to move his legs, and in the last three weeks he had began walking alone without help for short periods of time. Ty Lee's attempts to heal him were working. As he walked out of her house, he spotted the normal trail he would follow and trudged himself that direction. The island of Kyoshi was a beautiful place and he loved to see the coastline. He came to the point in his path where he normally turned to avoid a sharp incline, but today... something was different.

Teo stared up at the sharp hill, determination entering his mind. He could do it, he knew it. And thus, he ascended. Up and up, higher and higher he went, until he finally reached the top of the ascent. He laid down on the grass, looking into the sky and breathing heavily. Then he noticed a strangeness beside him. He heard the ocean! He turned his head to see, and sure enough, the hill cut off into a cliff.

Teo stood up, looking over the edge and to the rocky edge below. It reminded him of home: sudden drops at every turn. He remembered the breeze that soared through the air temple, and closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of the breeze now. It was just like that at home: fluctuating and crisp. He relaxed as he let his arms extend, loving the feeling of his element surrounding his body.

Suddenly, the movement in the air escalated. A huge breeze slammed into the back of Teo, shocking him out of his trance and throwing him off balance and forward. He tried to catch himself with a step, but couldn't stop himself from taking a few steps. The wind continued to bat at him until his knees collapsed beneath him, finally throwing him over the edge.

Down he fell, panic racing through his bloodstream until-

_smack._

- 8 Days Later -

As morning light streamed through the window, Ty Lee walked into Teo's room. Her entry woke him, and he let his eyes scroll over to her as she sat down.

"Today's the day."

Teo nodded. The doctor said to remain still for a week because of the bruising, and now he could find out what he desperately wanted to know: was he fully paralyzed?

"Alright," he said as he looked at Ty Lee. "Here goes."

His body moved a tiny bit before he froze, eyes widened. She gasped and stood up to lean over him.

"Ty Lee." He looked over at her. Her face had contorted in concern.

She suddenly stepped back as the young man rose out of his bed, walked forward, lifted her up, and hugged her tightly.

"Teo, you-"

He pulled her back to make eye contact as they both smiled ear-to-ear.

"It's a miracle."


End file.
